The lineage of the Queen
Mother and that of her late husband, King George VI can be traced back
through twice-related families to Brian Boru, who was King of Ireland from
1002 to 1014.

The chart reproduced here is a
condensed version to show the lines of the families during the earliest
times and thenthe more
commonly known descendants from the time of King George I and Richard
Wellesley.

Brian Boru was himself descended from
the ancient kings of Ulster and the present day O’Neills are a branch of
this ancient family, taking their name from the legendary Niall of the
Nine Hostages.

Irish tradition tells us of a Milesian prince, Nelius, who
became Niul in the Irish records. This takes us back into the BC era when
he married Scota, one of the
daughters of Zedekiah, the last king of the Southern House of Israel,
Judah, when the two princesses Tamar and Scota were in exile in Egypt
under the protection of the Pharaoh of the time .

The prophet Jeremiah later left Egypt with the Princess Tamar Tephi,
the elder of the two daughters, and as such the heiress of the line of
King David, and brought her to Ireland.

Eochaidh, the reigning Heremon of the
area married her, and their descendants may be traced through the Irish
records.